Under-13s lead Chichester Runners’ charge – Dash delight for Horsham Joggers

Chichester’s under-13 athletes have had a busy time in the past couple of weeks in both league and championship action.

Multi talented Max Gayle had the best race of his life in winning bronze in the 150m at the Sussex Championships at Crawley with a new PB of 20.86sec.

This was in addition to a seventh place in the 1500m and fourth in the hurdles.

The club’s second medal of the day was from Freddie Gay with a throw of 21.42m for bronze in the discus.

In the same event Gay had to contend with the winner who broke the championship record with 33m and occupies the UK No1 slot.

Gay also posted sixth in the 600m while Reuben Hughes had a busy afternoon in the sprints and long jump.

There were a quartet in the well-supported U11 quad-kids minithon with Arthur Mitchell and Alfie Luxfors for the boys and Emmy Pemberton and Rachel Cattermole in the girls’ events.

In the Sussex League it was newcomer to the team, Annie Lock, who caught the eye in both 75m and 150m with fast times of 10.4 and 21.5 respectively, the fastest for the club this year.

Chloe and Isabella Lendrum and with Juliette Stangroom gained good points on track and field with the quartet giving a good account of themselves in the relay.

For the boys, Gayle and Gay were in action again and were well supported by Levi Pearce and Thomas Kelson in the sprints with Ivo Edgar, Joe Stewart and Frank James in action in 600m, 1000m, long jump and shot put.

PHIL BAKER

Hat-trick for Potter

Loughborough student Ned Potter continued his rich vein of form at the recent Watford open meeting and added another club record to his tally.

On this occasion it was the 3000m record which fell with Potter crossing the line in a fine 8min 2sec, good enough to rank him well inside the UK top 50.

Already a club record holder at 5000m in 13.53 and 10,000m in 29.45, the club’shonours board has been rewritten by an athlete in his early 20s.

With fellow U23 Will Broom holder of the 1500m record at 3.45, both are exciting prospects for the future.

The pair also set new marks in the Goodwood cross country relays last September.

They recorded the first Chichester sub 12-minute times for the 4000m course with Broom the faster.

Downland Dash

With the West Sussex Fun Run League season in full swing, it was the turn of Burgess Hill Runners to host the popular five-mile Downlands Dash.

Chichester cemented their second place in the 17-club league and the club’s two super veterans led the charge.

Mike Houston added another win, with James Baker third in a field of over 270.

Mikeey Kwoka in ninth made it three in the top ten.

And Chichester’s first two women to finish were Nadia Anderson in 101st, 16th in her category, and Paivi Leivo, 129th.

Horsham Joggers

Horsham Joggers were the top club at the Downland Dash in Burgess Hill.

Provisional race results see the Joggers with 118 points from the Dash, in first place ahead of local rivals Saints & Sinners Running Club from Crawley with 112 points.

Congratulations go to Melissa Galea for finishing as the fourth female in a time of 33.34 and to Michael Daly, Horsham Joggers’ fastest male finisher, finishing in a time of 27.55.

Racing points were also won by Paul Davis, David Wilkinson, Mark Alger, Trevor Barrett, Luke Minogue, Chris Moore, Steve Wright, and Penny Barron.

The results mean that Horsham Joggers are off to a flying start in the league with 597 points after five races run.

That means they extend their lead in the league over second-place Chichester Runners with 573 points.